Rear mounted planing and stabilizing structure for power boats



Sept. 26, 1961 M. 1.. JACOBS ETAL REAR MOUNTED PLANING AND STABILIZINGSTRUCTURE FOR POWER BOATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 16, 1959Inventors W 3 W By Their Attorneys p 1961 M. JACOBS ETAL 7 3,001,499

REAR MOUNTED PLANING AND STABILIZING STRUCTURE FOR POWER BOATS 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16, 1959 Inventors 7 W By Their AttorneysUnited States Patent 3 001,499 REAR MOUNTED PLANEJG AND STABILIZINGSTRUCTURE FOR POWER BOATS Marcellus L. Jacobs, 2532 Columbus Drive, andJoseph H. Jacobs, 1445 El Prado St., both of Fort Myers, Fla. Filed Mar.16, 1959, Ser. N o. 7 99,497 3 Claims. (Cl. 114-665) This inventionrelates to smaller power boats equipped with either inboard or outboardmotors and has particu lar relation to equipment or attachments whichsubstantially improve the riding qualifies and stabilization of suchboats under various conditions of wind, current and waves in travel orat rest.

Inour co-pending application, S.N. 747,736 we disclosed the broad,general features of adjustable planingfloats which when applied toconventional power boats of smaller size, would prevent the slapping orpounding of such boats during travel through waves as well as wouldadequately stabilize the stern and waist of the boat toprevent'wallowing in the trough of waves and swamping through action ofstern waves. The said stabilizing action was accomplished throughdisplacement of water in two transversely spaced areas disposedrearwardly of the stem or transom of the boat and angularly adjustableplaning surfaces were formed at the bottoms of said displacement means,hingedly connected with the stern plate or transom to vary the angle ofdisplacement and provide very effective stern-elevating leverage frompoints or areas disposed in spaced relation to the stern plate ortransom.

It is an object of our present invention to provide combined planingelements and stabilizing displacement means haying a pair of elementsdisposed in transversely spaced relation behind the stern of the boatand having minimum weight and maximim collapsibility for substantiallyfacilitating the unloading of a boat, stern foremost into .the water andfor minimizing the space requirements for housing and storage andtransportation of a boat on a trailer in travel; I

A further object of this invention is to provide readily attachableplaning-float structure for smaller power boats which is exceedinglylight and compact in structure and which will conform to standard hullshapes and provide angular and adjustable lifting functions at the sternof the boat and from behind the stem to eliminate slapping and poundingand stabilize the rear portion of the boat in numerous and substantiallyall conditions of wind, waves, tides and travel.

In one form of our present invention, the two transyersely spaced,adjustable water displacement and statype housings mounted in sealedrelation to the stern plate or transom-of the boat and to planing plateswhich in turn .at their foremost edges are hingedly connected behind and.to the stern plate or transom of the boat for immediately adjustablevarying angular relation to the general contour of the bottom of thestern and waist of the boat. j j a Most power boatsparticularly athigher speeds, ride with the bow and a substantial portion of the forehull structure out of water and with the stern disposed close to thewater level. Such riding, if waves are present, produces severe slappingand pounding, causing discomfort to the passengers as well as stressesimposed upon hull and motor. The problem of smooth riding and :swampingor instability during travel or at rest, with boats a 3 ,001,499Patented Sept. 26, 1961 the boat is perfectly stabilized in travel or atrest while the rear of the boat and also the bow portion thereof may beadjustably lifted to put a minimum amount of friction on the hull duringtravel at high speed. With our structure, adjustment may be instantlymade by a control at the wheel or convenient to the driver so thatvarying conditions in taking different courses through waves and tides,may be properly compensated to assure smooth riding of the boat withoutpounding or rolling in high speeds and in considerably heavy winds.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be more apparentfrom the following description made in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar partsthroughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a foreshortened perspective view of a power boat adapted forattachment of an outboard motor having one form of our inventionoperatively applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a top plan View of the rear portion of said boat with ourattachment in operative position for travel;

FIG. 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical sectionshowing the rear portion of the same boat with our stabilizing floatcollapsed for transportation or for loading the boat into the water,rear foremost from a trailer;

FIG. 4 is a detail side elevation of the boat showing one form of theinvention extended for planing and stabilizing operation, the lowerportion of the planing plate and lower bellows being broken away to showparts in cross section;

Y FIG. 5 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in verticalsection showing another form of our invention with the dotted linesindicating rear-leverage planing po sition of the stabilizing float;

FIG. 6 is a rear View of the last mentioned form show ing thereinforcing clamping brackets with the pivoted planing floats removed;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross section taken transversely through therear portion of the boat and looking to the rear, showing one of theclamping brackets and control for one of the floats; and

FIG. 4-A is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4A4A ofFIG. 4.

Referring now to the form of our invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4inclusive, a power boat of conventional hull and configuration is shownhaving the bow B, the stern portion S and the usual transom or sternplate T recessed downwardly along its upper edge at U to form a suitablevertical attachment plate for an outboard motor. A rearwardly anddownwardly curved diagonally disposed splash rail R is provided at eachside of the hull extending from the bow apex to the waist of the boatand is desirably of a width of an inch or more and extends outwardly anddownwardly relative to the boat hull.

The bottom of the hull of the boat is provided with the usuallongitudinal keel board K which depends a short distance below thebottom X of the hull in con- :ventional fashion.

Our invention includes as essential elements a pair of transverselyspaced stabilizing and angularly adjustable planning members which inthe form of FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, each comprises a rectangular planingplate 10 which may be constructed from a sheet of plywood or rigidnon-corrosive metal and if made of plywood, preferably is coated on theunderside thereof with a slippery plastic coating 10a. The planingplates 10 are hingedly connected by hinge structure '11 with the forwardedges of L-shaped attachment brackets 12, as shown being of the width ofthe stabilizer planing structure and having forward upstandingattachment plates 12a which are rigidly secured by suitable waterproofcement, screws or other means to the outward. side portions of thetransom or stern plate T. The narrow base portions 12b of'the brackets12 are rigid with the attachment plates 12a and in addition, tosupporting the hinge construction 11 at the rearward edge thereof, serveas supports for a pair of narrow angle strips 13 (see FIG. 4-A) whichextend longitudinally of the boat hull behind the stern and which areprovided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced bearing apertures toaccommodate and journal the lower ends of a plurality of U-shaped staymembers 14 for distending a sealed expansible bellows housing 15. Theside edges of theplaning plates and the outer sides of the bellowshousing :15 preferably extend in substantial continuance or slightlyinwardly from the assumed extended contour of the sides of the boat hullfrom the stem. The bellows housing 15 may be constructed of suitableflexible sheet material which is impervious to water such as impregnatedduck or thin canvas or certain of the plastic lilled textile materialsor flexible plastics which are available on the market. The vertical topand side and bottom edges of the bellows housing are all eflicientlysealed, the forward upstanding edges being sealed at each side of thehousing with marginal portions of the upstanding attachment plate 12aand the lower edges of the bellows housing at both sides thereof beingefiiciently sealed with the shelf-like horizontal portion 12b of thebracket and further, with the upper surface and longitudinal marginalportions of the planing plate 10. The housing is constructed with pleatsor folds as shown, which extend generally radially at the sides of eachhousing and each pleated portion at its center fold as shown in FIG. '4,is distended at sides and outer edge by one of the U-shaped stays 14.Pivot pins 14a journal the lower ends of the inverted U- shaped staysfor each housing in the aperturcd bearings formed in the angle strips13, the pivoted ends of the stays being closely spaced apart insuccession to provide for easy extension or compaction of the respectivehousing in bellows manner when the associated planing plate 10 islowered or raised respectively. A short vent tube 16 is carried in theperipheral portion of each bellows housing adjacent the forward attachedend thereof communicating with the interior of the respective housing atthe highest pointthereon.

The hinge axes of the planing plates 10 are disposed very slightly abovethe level of the bottom of the hull of the boat at the stem end.

We prvide simple instantly adjustable means for varying the angulationof the rearwardly disposed planing plates 10 relatively to the sternportion of the hull bottom and in the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 1 to4 inclusive, we provide a transversely disposed crank shaft 17 journaledadjacent its ends in ferrule bearings 18 provided appropriately inaligned portions of the sides of the hull just forward of stern plate T.The crank shaft 17 as shown is offset downwardly and rearwardly mediallythereof at 17a to accommodate and be free of interference of theclamping portions of an outboard motor. The outer ends of crank shaft 17extend through the sides of the hull and have afiixed thereto dependinglever arms 19 which have pivoted to the outer ends thereof non-corrosivemetal links 20 which in turn at their rearward ends, are pivotallyconnected at 20a with the outer side edge portions of the respectiveplaning plates.

In FIG. 1 the planing plates 10 of the two combination stabilizer andplaning sections are shown in substantially horizontal position and inFIG. 4, the dotted line position shows the plates further angled withreference to the stern of the boat and depressed at their free ends toapply lifting leverage from areas rearward of the stern of the boat, tolift the stern during travel and as will be later seen, to preventslapping or pounding of waves on the hull during travel.

In FIG. 3 the planing plate 10 of one side of the stern is shown infully collapsed position with the bellows housing completely collapsedin snug relation with the stern plate or transom T accomplished byturning the crank shaft 17 clockwise as viewed from the left or portside of the boat.

The crank shaft 17 may be instantly and turnably controlled by ahandlever L or the equivalent interconnected as by an elongated link 21 witha rocker arm 22 which is affixed within the boat hull to one end of thejournaled crank shaft 17. A suitable gear segment 23 is provided foradjustably retaining lever L in a variety of adjusted positionsreceiving a conventional elevatable tooth (not shown) manipulatable by atrigger arm 24 pivoted to. the upper end of the lever handle.v

It will of course be understood that various instantly controllablemedia or mechanisms may be sbstituted for the simple lever, longitudinallinkage 21' and rocker arm 22 to instantly adjust the angular relationof the planing plates 10 with the stern plate of the boat and to ofcourse also when desired, completely collapse the planing floatstructure into the position shown in FIG. 3.

Operation When the boat with our structure attached thereto is ready fortransportation or to be placed in storage, the two planing plates 10 areangled upwardly to collapse the bellows housing structure and disposethe bellows and plates in compact relation against the stem plate of theboat.

When the boat is launched for travel, in the water the planing floatsare extended with the plates 10 disposed substantially horizontally ingeneral conformity with the stern bottom of the hull structure. The twowidely spaced housings rearwardly of the boats stern then displace thesupporting water and stabilize the stern of the boat and preventwallowing of the boatduring travel.

They also constitute bouyant bodies to normally raise the stern of theboat when the boat is at rest.

In travel of the boat forwardly when waves are encountered, bouncing andpounding of thehull and jarring of the motor is quickly eliminated bypulling rearwardly on the lever L after releasing the gear segment whichinstantly deflects or angles the planingplates 10 downwardly from theirhinged connections, the amount of adjustment being made to overcome thebouncing and pounding effect. This adjustment will vary considerablydepending upon the water and weather conditions and the direction oftravel relatively to the waves.

In conventional power boats which do not have our novel apparatusattached thereto when speed of the boat is increased through even smallwaves or ripples the bow of the boat rises out of the watercorrespondingly lowering the stern of the boat and pounding of the boatincreases with speed through waves.

Furthermore, in diagonally crossing waves or in travel in the troughs ofwaves, wallowing is encountered which often is dangerous and intraveling with the waves, often swells stem-swamp the boat.

These unpleasant and sometimes dangerous effects are entirely avoided,through the corner stabilizing effect of our Widely spaced planingplates and displacement housings 15.

If fast travel of the boat is suddenly abated as in preparing for alanding even through waves travel towards the stern of the boat, it willnot be swamped due to the corner stability and displacement bouyancyprovided by the stern connected bellows housings 15.

In adjusting the planing of the hull by angular lowering of the 'twowidely spaced planing plates 10, leverage is applied most advantageouslyfrom areas spaced a short distance behind the transom or stern plate ofthe boat. Such leverage is substantially great and only a slightangulation is required to maintain the stern elevated at the desiredlevel relatively to the water surface and unexpectedly the speed of theboat is not diminished. In

travel the bow portion of the boat equipped with our apparatus does notvary its generalarea level from the position of other bow portions ofconventionalboats not equipped with our structure. At high speeds withour structure, actual frictional surface of the hull is not increased toany appreciable extent. In fact if splash rails R are employeddiagonally at'the bow'portions of the boat there is a definite combinedlifting effect of the entire hull during high speed travel since thesplash rails R laterally extending downwardly tend to lift the bow ofthe boat at high speeds while thedeflection of the planing plates at aslight angle correspondingly lifts the stern thereby enablingthe'bottom'ofjthehull to plane on a minimum water contact areai In the formof ourinvention illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7 inclusive, a very quicklyattachable and detachable floating and planing structure is provided,comprising generally speaking a pair of widely spaced planing-floatassemblies hingedly mounted in a generally similar manner outwardly ofthe transom or stern piece of the boat.

As shown, a sturdy clamping structure is provided for each angularlyadjustable planing float assembly, each structure having a rearwardlyand outwardly rigid A-frame 25 disposed in operation flush against therear upstanding surface of the transom or stern plate T of the boat andrigidly interconnected at the upper converging end of the A-frame withan inverted U-shaped sturdy clamping structure indicated as an entiretyby the numeral 26, said clamping structure for each of said planingfloats having a depending head 26a which is disposed inwardly of thetransom T and which threadedly carries a heavy clamping screw 27 havingswivelly aflixed to the rear end thereof an enlarged clamping collar 28for engagement with the upper recess edge of the stern plate or transomT. The forward end of clamping screw 27 has aflixed thereto an enlargedknurled knob 27a to facilitate tightening of the clamping structure.

The depending head 26a of the clamping bracket has a horizontaltransverse bearing 26b in the lower portion thereof which journals oneend of a transverse crank shaft 29 which as shown, has its intermediateportion ofiset downwardly to be spaced from the clamping structure of anoutboard motor (not shown).

The crank shaft 29 is journaled in its ends by the bearings 26b of thetwo widely spaced attachment brackets and is turned by linkage mechanismincluding the longitudinally disposed link 30 pivotally connected at itsrearward end with the lower end of a fixed rocker arm 31 securedadjacent one end of the crank shaft, as shown in FIG. 5. The link 30 maybe connected with instantly controlled lever adjustment means of thetype illustrated and described with reference to the first form of ourinvention.

For adjustment of each of the planing floats an upstanding rocker arm 32is rigidly afiixed to terminal portions of the crank shaft 29, said arms32 of the two crank shaft ends being aligned and each of the rocker arms32 at its upper end is bifurcated for pivotal connection by a pin 32avu'th a rearwardly extending actuating link 33 which at its outer end ispivoted to an upstanding ear 34 rigidly aflixed and preferably throughreinforcement structure secured to the interconnected planing floatindicated as an entirety by the letters P.F.

Each of the planing floats P.F. has a body of trapezoidal cross section35 preferably constructed of a foamy closed cellular plasticconstruction such as styrofoam molded or otherwise formed appropriatelywith the outer side walls of each body lying within the confines ofimaginary extensions of the stern sidewalls of the boat. The very lightbouyant body 35 is preferably encased and reinforced by a tough hide orcasing 36 which may be conveniently constructed of a reinforced plasticsuch as the tough plastic sheeting employing with the plastic per se,reinforcing of glass fibers or the like. Each of the bouyant bodies 35at the base thereof is firmly adhered and supported upon a planing plate37 which may be constructed of suitable material such as coated plywood.The forward edge of each of the planingplates 37 is provided with asturdy hinge bracket 38 which terminates forwardly in an aperturedbearing 38a for receiving the hinge pintle 39 which passes through andis retained against displacement in a hinge bearing 25a formedhorizontally at the lower extremities of each of the two legs of theA-franie 25. Thus, each planing float is hinged at-two widely spacedpoints to the depending diverging ends of the rigid A-frame 25 disposedexteriorly and flush against the rear surface of the transom T. i t V AIt will be noted that in both forms of the invention, the planing platesand accordingly of course the displacement orbouyant bodies mountedthereon arehinged on axes spaced reai'wai dly from the stern plate ortransom of the boat. This causes lifting power to be very effectivelyapplied to the stern and furthermore enables the effective planinglengths of the planing plates to be diminished as contrasted with thestructure of our pending application, S.N. 747,736.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that we have providedhighly efiicient, simple and immediately controllable planing mechanismand stabilizing displacement means for power boats varying inconventional structure and size to positively eliminate slapping andpounding of the boat with the inherent discomfort to passengers.

It will further be seen that with our improved structure the speed of apower boat is not decreased when downward deflection of the planingplates is required to eliminate slapping of the boat hull as it travelsthrough waves or ripples, yet on the other :hand by combining ourstructure with splash rails properly mounted at the bow portions of theboat extending from the parting line of the bow along the sides, theactual frictional surface of the boat contacting the water at highspeeds will be decreased by lifting the boat stern and bow portions ofthe boat as contrasted with conventional hull structures now in usewhich do not utilize our invention.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in theform, details and arrangement of the parts without departing from thescope of our invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A readily attachable, rear-mounted planing and stabilizing structurefor power boats of the type having a conventional one-piece hullincluding a bow, stern and bottom portions and an upstanding sternplate, said planing and stabilizing structure comprising a pair oftransversely spaced, rigid mounting frames adapted to be securelyclamped to the upstanding stern plate of a power boat and each having asubstantial depending frame portion disposed in contacting relation withthe rear and exterior of such a stern plate and terminating at eachinstance at the lower end portion thereof and hinge elements locatedtransversely of the boat and in close relation to the bottom edge of thestern plate when said structure is so attached to a power boat, a pairof displacement bodies of box-like configuration each having arearwardly inclined front face and each being attached at the lowermostedge of its front face to respective hinge elements of the associatedmounting frames for swinging movement on substantially horizontal axestransversely of the boat, said water-displacement bodies beingtransversely spaced apart and extending longitudinally rearwardly fromopposite sides of said stern plate when said planing and stabilizingstructure is mounted on a boat, a pair of rigid substantially planarplaning plates each being attached and sealed to the bottom of one ofsaid displacement bodies for swinging movement therewith, and actuatingmechanism operatively connected with said displacement bodies and beingcontrollable from Within the boat :hull for simultaneously varying theangulation of said displacement bodies and its associated planingplates.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said 7 actuatingmechanism includes a crank shaft adapted to be mounted interiorly andtransversely of the boat hull adjacent the sternplate and beingjournalled in forward portions of said mounting frames. 7

3. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said displacement bodiesare of buoyant construction and are formed of non-hygroscopic, like foammaterial.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS551,843 Wycherley et aI. Dec. 24, 1895 1,784,071 Norman Dec. 9, 1930 71,855,076 Warner Apr. 19, 1932 Higgins lankl'l, 1932 Tomassi Aug. 20,Anderson Nov. 27, 1951 Brinkema Jan. 15, 1952 Tym Nov. 4, 1952 AlexanderDec. 17', 1957 Cochran Dec. 16,1958, Hupp Mar. 3, 195.9

FOREIGN PATENTS Italy Sept. 8,, 1953 Great Britain Dec. 9, 1953 FranceFeb. 11,, 1957

